Sinclair’s face subtly began to harden, but Elaina, unaware of this fact, continued speaking.

“There were also some young ladies attending the gathering, and they all couldn’t take their eyes off that young lord.”

“…”

“But it wasn’t incomprehensible. He came over and spoke to me as well, and he was extremely kind.”

“… He came over and spoke to you too?”

Sinclair’s golden eyes were slightly tinged with anger.

Ryan Henard.

It wasn’t as if Sinclair didn’t know about that man. Although he had never met him in person, he already knew how the noble social circles of Edenbell operated.

He had thought they were just the type to keep their distance from the imperial palace while being cautious. But after hearing Elaina’s words, he felt like going to find him and strangling him right away.

“So what did he say?”

Elaina, who was about to answer, hesitated slightly.

[… The story about trying to confirm if the rumors circulating were true is a lie. In fact, I wanted to express my gratitude. You, Your Highness the Crown Princess, were the only joy for me who was living each day without any pleasure.]

For some reason she couldn’t exactly understand, Elaina felt certain that if she relayed Ryan’s words verbatim to Sinclair, it would shorten his lifespan.

Elaina hesitated for a moment, then carefully opened her lips.

“It seems he had seen me a few times before I became the Crown Princess. So he was just saying it was nice to see me again while talking about those times.”

“…”

“I didn’t think it would be good for the conversation to go on longer, so when the gathering was breaking up, I got up first. And I came straight back to the Crown Prince’s palace.”

With Elaina’s words, the anger that had flared up like flames seemed to subside.

Not realizing how childish he was acting right now, Sinclair nodded briefly as if he understood.

“And Lady Anelli asked after me. In a friendly manner.”

The face of Anelli, who had brought up Sinclair, briefly flashed before her eyes.

“What happened to Lady Anelli that she doesn’t keep many people around her?”

“Anelli is from a collateral bloodline.”

Sinclair continued with a somewhat remorseful expression.

“When I was young, the relationship between the collateral lines and the imperial family wasn’t too bad. But it all fell apart when Yuria… Hister’s mother entered the palace.”

Ah.

That concubine whom Sinclair had killed in the imperial palace, in broad daylight.

“You’ve seen him, so you know, but the Emperor isn’t particularly intelligent. Rather, the opposite. He’s incredibly stupid, completely unsuited for his position.”

That’s how it had seemed.

“Yuria tried her best to build up power within the imperial palace, and the results weren’t bad. The first thing she did after gaining power was to get rid of the collateral bloodlines.”

“She judged that they would be obstacles to Hister’s future, I suppose.”

“Probably.”

Sinclair smirked.

“Anelli was at the forefront of those who stood against her then. Of course, the end was miserable. The Emperor drove out all the collateral bloodlines, including Anelli, from the capital.”

“But Lady Anelli is in the capital now, isn’t she?”

“She only returns to her townhouse when there are matters to attend to. Even the Emperor can’t prevent that much.”

“…”

“I already knew she had formed a strange gathering, but I didn’t expect you would end up going there.”

A strange gathering.

One where all the members, including Lady Anelli, were dissatisfied with the current imperial family for various reasons.

Could that really be called just a social gathering? Elaina didn’t think so at all, but she hadn’t found out anything definitive about the gathering yet. It was just her speculation.

So she decided to keep quiet for now, and Sinclair, who was staring intently at Elaina, continued speaking.

“But you won’t be able to go to that gathering for a while. It’s better if you know in advance.”

“What? Why so suddenly again…”

Still, is it because you don’t like me taking action?

Elaina looked at Sinclair with a somewhat bewildered face, and Sinclair shook his head and answered.

“We’ll be away from the imperial palace for a few days. All of us.”

“…”

“Yes, since we couldn’t do anything to celebrate our marriage… think of it as a small event.”

“What’s the real reason?”

“What?”

“The real reason hidden behind the excuse you gave. Why we need to leave the imperial palace for a while.”

What kind of madman would have carelessly spoken ill of such a woman, calling her a half-wit? Sinclair chuckled.

“The real reason is…”

Then he continued slowly.

“Well, let’s say it’s to avoid getting unnecessarily involved in troublesome matters.”

“…”

“Or maybe to create a suitable alibi.”

Elaina immediately realized. That Sinclair had firmly made up his mind to do something.

[I must repay. Twofold.]

Yes, perhaps…

[In the most terrible way I can imagine.]

Could it be revenge for that incident?

“Juice and Andina should have drawn a bath, so go and rest a bit. You must be tired after attending the gathering, after all.”

“Sinclair, that…”

“If you were planning to bother me as soon as you got back, I’ll have to decline. Unfortunately, I have somewhere I need to go for a moment.”

“No, what I mean is…”

“What? Is there something you haven’t finished saying?”

Sinclair slightly narrowed his eyes as if asking what was the matter, and Elaina answered with an expression of disbelief.

“Those children’s names are not Juice and Andina, but Judith and Anna.”

“Isn’t that close enough?”

“Not at all…?”

Where exactly?

She knew he didn’t pay much attention to others in general, but to not even know the names of the children he personally selected and interviewed? While Elaina was dumbfounded by Sinclair’s nonchalance, a thought suddenly occurred to her.

Could it be that he’s focusing all his attention elsewhere?

For example, on all the things he could and should do to survive in the imperial palace.

“…Where are you going alone in that condition? Your wounds haven’t even fully healed yet.”

“The temple.”

“Wait a moment. What did you say?”

Elaina tried urgently to grab Sinclair, but Sinclair’s movements were a bit faster.

He casually draped his outer garment over the bandages covering his bare skin, and left the bedroom with large strides without looking back.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Ugh, urk…”

Someone’s groan, as if their internal organs were being torn apart, echoed throughout the filthy underground sewer. As if it were an echo.

“Huh… No matter what you do to me… you won’t gain anything…”

As if his head had burst, bright red blood soaked his heavily wrinkled forehead, overflowing and dripping from the tip of his chin.

On the ground where bloodstains that hadn’t been wiped away remained, a new pool of blood was forming.

“I didn’t say I was trying to gain anything from you.”

Sinclair’s voice, incomparably more sinister than when he was conversing with Elaina, settled heavily all around.

“Then why are you doing this…! Knowing what my position means in Edenbell, how dare you…!”

“Watch your words!”

The one who cut off the cracking voice filled with anger was Schuler, standing beside Sinclair with a hardened face.

“So.”

And Sinclair answered in a mocking tone full of derision.

“Knowing full well what your position means in Edenbell, how dare you do such a thing?”

It’s really an absurd and ridiculous thing. Sinclair laughed.

“Should I say you have guts, or no brain? Maybe both. But unfortunately, such people who don’t know their place usually die first when they run wild.”

“Are you… threatening me now…!”

A gasping voice was painfully uttered.

“In the name of God… you will never be forgiven… I knew you were an impious person, but even so… to do such a thing… in the temple…”

“Such a thing in the temple?”

Sinclair asked back with a snicker.

“Is it a characteristic of priests to speak in such vague terms? The priest I know wasn’t like that.”

“…”

“Anyway, I’d like you to speak more specifically. Did I kill all the priests associated with you and sneak in secretly? Or is it not enough and I’m daring to lay hands on your body and threaten you?”

“Ugh, urgh…”

“But well, it’s not something I couldn’t do. I haven’t even killed half the number of people you killed here last time. You should know that well, right?”

Or is your life more valuable than others?

At the endless stream of sarcastic remarks, Schuler clicked his tongue.

“Anyway, I thought about it a bit too. Others might not know, but surprisingly, I have a head capable of thinking about things too. Surprising, isn’t it?”

Sinclair continued speaking.

“And I discovered something very interesting. You’ll find it quite amusing too.”

Thud.

A few documents in Sinclair’s hand rolled on the floor like fallen leaves, and at the same time, the face of the old man who had been hanging his head began to turn pale.

…A man dying, dripping blood.

The closest confidant of Hister and the most renowned person in Edenbell.

It was the High Priest of the temple.